Rail-joint.



J. H. MORROW. RAIL JOINT. PPLIOATION F'ILBD 11011.22,y 1910.

989,390. Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

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RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 22, 1910.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.'

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JONATHAN H. MORBOW, 0F SLIPPERY ROCK, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

Application filed November 22, 1910. Serial No. 593,677.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JONATHAN H. Mon- Row, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Slippery Rock, in the county of Butler and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail- Joints,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices employed for uniting the adjacent endsof railway rails, and has for its object the production of a simplyconstructed mechanism whereby the adjacent ends of the rails are firmlyunited and clamped without the necessity of employing threaded bolts andnuts, but wherein dependence is to be had from friction and wedges toproduce the desired result.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction as willbe hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of theadjacent ends of the rails with the improvement applied. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of the device, one of the fish plates being removed andthe second plate having its T-shaped head projecting through theT-shaped slot of one of the rails and the T-shaped slots of the plateand the second rail alining. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional viewtaken upon the line 3-3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective viewof one of the fish plates. Fig. 5 is a similar View of one of thelocking keys.

In the accompanying drawings the numerals 1 and 2 designate the railends. Each of these rails l and 2 is constructed in the usual manner,each comprising ay head 8, base fiange 4, and connecting web 5. The webs5 of the rail sections are preferably centrally provided with aplurality of T- shaped openings 6 which are positioned near the end o'fthe said rail, and each of the webs is further provided with a key-holeslot 7 arranged at a suitable distance away from the T-shaped slots 6.It will be noted by reference to the figures of the drawings that theT-shaped slots of each of the rails are arranged so as to have theirlongitudinal openings facing toward the ends of each of the said rails.

The numeral 8 designates the fish plates of the joint. These fish plates8 are both constructed in a substantially similar manner and areprovided adjacent one of their ends with a plurality of T-shaped studs9,

while adjacent their opposite ends the said plates are formed withT-shaped slots 10. Arranged at a suitable distance away from the slotsand studs are key-hole slots 11, the same being adapted to aline withthe keyhole slots 7 of the rail members when the T- stantially equalingthat of the vertical portion provided by the slot, and the distancebetween the end of the head 14 and the bit 15 equals the combinedthickness of the rail web and fish plates so that when the key is in itslocked position the same can be rotated Vto snugly engage one of the shplates and to retain the fish plates and rails in their assembledposit-ion. The inner face of the bit is preferably inclined or beveledso as to afford a wedging action when the said bit is rotated. In orderto prevent the accidental removal of the key I have provided the body ofthe same with a slot 16 which is arranged transversely of the bit 15,and this slot is adapted for the reception of a Cotter pin 17.

It is, of course to be understood that the studs 9 and slots 10 of oneof the fish plates are arranged upon the said plate so as to co-act withthe slots and studs of the opposite fish plates and in assembling thedevice the rails are spread a suitable distance apart so as to receivethe heads of one ofthe fish plates to have their T-saped slots alinewith the T-shaped slots of the said fish plate. TWhen this isaccomplished the second fish plate is positioned so that its openingsreceive the heads of the studs 9 of the first fish plates and to haveits studs project through the alining T-shaped slots of the second railand the slots of the first fish plate. When this is accomplished therail and fish plates are forced together so as to bring the key-holeslots of the fish plates and the rails into alinement, when the key 12is inserted.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it

will be noted that I have provided a comparatively simple, cheapandthoroughly effective device for the purpose intended, one wherein themeetinoV ends of a pair of rails are securely and eeetively lockedwithout the employment of threaded bolts or similar devices which areapt to become disengaged owing to the thumping of the rails due to therolling stock passing thereover, and While I have illustrated anddescribed the preferred embodiment of the improvement, as it now appearsto me, changes in minor details of construction, within the scope of thefollowing claim may be resorted to if desired.

I-Iaving thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new is :w

The contiguous meeting ends of a pair of rails having their websprovided adjacent their ends with T-shaped openings, said openingshaving their central portions extending longitudinally toward the endsof the rails, the webs of the rails being further provided with key-holeslots, fish plates,

each of said fish plates having integrally posite end, each of said fishplates havingV key-hole openings, the T-shaped studs of one of the ishplates adapted to engage the T- shaped openings of the rail and theT-shaped openings of the opposite fish plate, the rails adapted to beforced together so as to position the heads of the studs within thelongitudinal openings of the T-shaped slots and to bring the key-holeopenings of the webs and fish plates into alinement, a headed keyprovided with a bit adapted to be inserted within the key-hole slot, thesaid bit having an opening, and a Cotter pin adapted to engage saidopening, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JONATHAN I-I. MORROIV. I'Vitnesses ALBERT L. Boivsnn, JAMES B. MATES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

